The Court of First Instance of San Juan determined Monday that Mayra Nevárez Torres must serve 15 years in prison for the accident that caused the death of Justin Santos Delada, brother of Puerto Rican singer Arcángel.
Nevárez Torres said at the resentencing hearing, which imposes jail and not home restriction like the first conviction, that he did not remember what happened that day in November 2021, but that he is aware that he caused the accident.
“That day I did not go out with the intention of harming anyone, that was never in my mind or in my heart, but there is no excuse for what I did,” said the convict, who asked for forgiveness from Carmen Santos, the victim’s mother.
The woman’s sentence was initially 15 years of home restriction, payment of several fines and the suspension of her driver’s license, but the Justice Department appealed last January, considering that Nevárez Torres should serve jail time.
The Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico, Lourdes L. Gómez Torres, said that with this sentence of fifteen years in prison “justice is served for Justin Santos Delanda, his mother, siblings, family and friends, as well as for Keven Monserrate Gandía, who was seriously injured in this tragic traffic accident.
Justice for the brother of singer Arcángel
“This sentence confirms the performance of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, its responsible and diligent work, and reaffirms that judicial decisions must respond firmly to the seriousness of the facts and the profound damage caused,” he stressed.
Gómez Torres indicated that this judicial determination also sends “an unequivocal message to all those irresponsible drivers who insist on driving under the influence of alcohol: such criminal behavior will not be tolerated”.
Last December 8, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court denied the second request for reconsideration filed by Nevárez Torres, which led to today’s ruling.
The convicted woman was driving her motor vehicle recklessly and against traffic on the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge when she struck two Can-Am all-terrain vehicles, in which the victims were traveling.
Archangel’s brother died at the scene from his injuries and Monserrate Gandia was seriously injured.
According to Agencia EFE, authorities performed a blood alcohol test on Nevárez Torres, which showed 0.29%, higher than the legal limit for driving a motor vehicle (0.08%).
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